Hitch for earth compacting unit



Dec. 25, 1951 Filed Feb. 20, 1948 R. G. LE TOURNEAU HITCH FOR EARTH COMPACTING UNIT 2 SHEETSSHEET l INVENTQR R GLeTurneau.

BY fl zgzj, rial-L ATTORNEYS Dec. 25, 1951 R. G. LE TOURNEAU HITCH FOR EARTH COMPACTING UNIT 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 Filed Feb. 20, 1948 BY mm ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 25, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,579,839 HITCH FOR EARTH COMPACTING UNIT Robert G. Le Tourneau, Longview, Tex., assignor to R. G. Le Tourneau, Inc., Stockton, Calif., a corporation of California,

ApplicationFebruary 20, 1948, Serial No. 9,757

4 Claims. 1

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved earth compacting implement of the type generally known in the trade as a sheeps foot roller.

This type of roller implement is tractor-drawn, and another object of the invention is to provide the implement with a draft tongue of novel construction; such tongue being adapted to be secured to either a single roller unit, or multiple connected roller units, with the line of draft at the longitudinal center line of the implement.

This implement also includes a plurality of transversely spaced, circumferential rows of radially projectin earth compacting tamps, and it is an object to provide a novel arrangement of cleaner bars to cooperate with such tamps.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical, relatively simple, and rugged earth compacting unit, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one roller unit with its tongue connected thereto in draft relation.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the manner of connection of the tongue to the implement when it comprises multiple-connected roller units.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the frame of one roller unit, with the tongue detached.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line l4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing one cleaner bar as cooperating with the adjacent roller.

Referring now more particularly to the charactors of reference on the drawings, the implement comprises one or more roller units, each of which is indicated generally at I. Each roller unit I has an open rectangular frame, indicated generally at 2, comprising, in rigid relation, side beams 3, a front beam 4, and a rear beam 5.

At one end of the front beam 4 and rear beam 5, the side beam 3 is secured on top thereof, whereas at the opposite end the corresponding side beam 3 is secured to the under side of said front beam 4 and rear beam 5; this arrangement being for the purpose of permitting coupling in articulated end to end relation of a plurality of the roller units i, as will hereinafter appear.

A transverse drum or roller unit 6 is disposed within the frame 2 intermediate the front and rear beams thereof, and said roller is turnably mounted on a horizontal cross shaft I clamped, at opposite ends, as at 8, to the side beams 3.

At its periphery the drum 6 is fitted with a plurality of transversely spaced, circumferential rows of radially outwardly projecting tamps 9;

said tamps each including a base It] seated on,

is in use.

The numeral I3 indicates a generally L-shaped draft tongue which includes a longitudinal, forwardly projecting leg I4 and a rear, laterally projecting leg I5 connected to the longitudinal leg I4 by means of an integral diagonal portion I6.

A swivel hitch I1 is fitted on the forward end of the tongue for attachment, in draft relation, to a tractor.

When the draft tongue I3 is used in connection with a single roller unit I, as in Fig. 1, it is coupled to the same in the following manner:

At its free end the rear, laterally projecting leg I5 of the draft tongue is fitted with an upstanding attachment block I8 which is of height to extend both above and below said leg, and the extended end portions of such block each have a bolt hole I9 therethrough. A similar attachment block 20 is mounted adjacent the opposite and inner end of the rear leg I5, being supported clear of the diagonal portion I6 by means of a reinforcing and mounting web 2| on said portion. The attachment block 20 is thus mounted so that its bolt holes 22 are accessible from adjacent the diagonal portion [6 of the draft tongue.

The attachment blocks I 8 and 20 have their T rear faces alined transversely of the implement, and these blocks abut against a pair of corresponding, upstanding attachment pads 23 on the front beam 4. The attachment pads 23 have tapped bolt holes 24 in matching relation to the bolt holes I9 and 22. Bolts 25 secure the attachment blocks I8 and 20 to corresponding ones of the attachment pads 23 whereby to rigidly secure the draft tongue I3 to the roller unit I. The position of the attachment pads 23 on the front beam 4 is such that when the tongue I3 is attached in the manner above described, the line of draft of such tongue coincides with the longitudinal center line 26 of the roller unit, as is desirable for proper and effective operation of the implement.

When it is desired to employ an implement comprising a plurality but even number of the roller units l, the same are attached in end to end relation, transversely of the direction of travel, and for relative vertical hinging or articulation, as follows: a

At one end the front and rear beams 4 and 5, respectively, are each fitted with an outwardly projecting fork 21 adapted to straddle the ends of the corresponding beams of the adjacent roller unit; these engaged parts being connected by pivot bolts, as at 28. The side beams 3 on opposite sides of the implement are attached to the front and rear beams 4 and 5 above at one end and below at the other, as previously described, in order to permit of the above hinging connection between adjacentroller units.

.When'two of the roller units (or multiples of two) are connected together, as shown in Fig. 2, the draft tongue is is inverted and attached to the implement in the manner illustrated in such figure. The attachment blocks 58 and 25 are secured by bolts to the pair of attachment pads 23 which are adjacent the center line of such implement; the longitudinal leg M of the draft tongue l3 then extending along said longitudinal center line of the. implement, and which is represented by the axis of the pivot bolts 23 directly to the rear of said leg.

When'the tongue is mounted in draft relation to multiple connected roller units, the diagonal portion it of the tongue permits ofaccess to the adjacent pivot bolt 28 for its placement or withdrawal without obstruction.

If there isan odd number of roller units connected in end to end relation, then the draft tongue is connected to the center roller unit in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

Whether the implement comprises a single roller unit, or multiple roller units, the invention provides an arrangement wherein a single draft tongue will suffice, and the same is attachable in amanner so that the line of draft in either case is coincident .to the longitudinal center line of said implement. V

The rear beam 5 of each roller unit is fitted with, a hitch unit 29 so that a plurality of said roller units may be coupled in tandem if desired.

The implement is used, in the manner of sheeps-footrollers, to compact previously loose filled earth such as on road beds, earth dams, etc.; the. tamps, upon forward travel of the implement, workingupon such loose filled earth to effectively compactit. V

From the foregoing description it will be readilyjseen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

Whilethis specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appendedclaims.

'I-Iaving thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letter Patent are desired:

' 1.' An'e'arth compacting roller implement comprising a pair of roller units in end to end relation transversely of thedirection of travel, each unit including a draft frame having a transverse front beam, a roller journaled in each frame, a hinge assembly connecting the frames together for relative floating motion of the roller units in a transverse vertical plane, a draft tongue ahead of the roller units, said draft tongue including a longitudinal legsubstantially on the longitudinal center line of the implement and a laterally projecting rear leg extending adjacent and lengthwise of the front beam of one roller unit, and connecting elements between such rear leg and adjacent front beam securing the same together; the draft tongue including a diagonal portion between the longitudinal leg and rear leg thereof; and the hinge assembly including a hinge'pin exposed at the front of the implement and manually accessible to the rear of said diagonal portion of the draft tongue.

2. An earth compacting roller unit comprising a rigid draft frame having a transverse front beam, a roller journaled in the frame to the rear of the front beam, a draft tongue, such draft tonguecomprising a forwardly projecting longitudinal leg, a rear leg projecting at substantially right angles to the first leg, a diagonal portion connecting the adjacent inner ends of said legs, an attachment block on the outer end of said rear leg, an attachment block mounted on the diagonal portion at a point inwardly of the longitudinal axis of the first leg, the distance between the longitudinal axis of the first leg and the outer end of the rear leg being substantially one-half the length of the front beam, attachment blocks on the front face of the front beam disposed in matching relation to the blocks on the rear leg and means to detachably secure the blocks on the rear leg to the blocks on the front beam.

3. A structure as in claim 2 in which the means for mounting the attachment block to the diagonal portion of the draft beam comprises a relatively narrow flat plate secured to and projecting from the face of said diagonal portion, the block being secured to the outer edge of said plate and extending above and below the same.

4. In an earth compacting roller, a rigid draft frame in which the roller is mounted, said frame having a transverse front beam provided at one end with a horizontal-axis hinge element for detachable connection to alike frame, an invertible draft tongue ahead of thebeam, said tongue being generally L-shaped in plan and including a forwardly extending longitudinal leg, and a laterally projecting rear leg, bolt-receiving attachment blocks mounted in fixed connection with the rear leg; one block being at the outer end of said rear leg and the other block being disposed at a point between said one block and the median line of the longitudinal leg; and cooperating bolt pads secured onthe front beam, said pads being spaced and disposed along the beam so that when the tongue is in one position, the longitudinal leg will aline with the longitudinal center line'of the roller and when the tongue is inverted, said longitudinal leg will aline with the axis of the hinge element.

- ROBERT G. LE TOURNEAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATE PATENTS Name Date Le Tourneau Nov. 24, 1942 Small Nov. 5, 1946 Number 

